Ernest Lamar Love, a 41-year-old barber from Placentia, California, faces charges of murder, torture, and child abuse causing death in connection with the brutal beating of 6-year-old Chance Crawford. The incident, which occurred on August 29, 2024, has left a community in shock and a family devastated.
Love was entrusted with babysitting Chance while the boy’s mother, Charlyn Saffore, worked a night shift at a hospital. What should have been a routine babysitting arrangement took a dark turn when Love allegedly became enraged after Chance wet his pants at a local park.
According to prosecutors, Love took Chance to his barbershop, where surveillance footage captured him entering with a large piece of raw lumber. The boy was seen reluctantly following behind. Over the next three hours, Love is accused of subjecting Chance to a series of brutal acts.
Prosecutors allege that Love beat Chance with the lumber, causing severe injuries including missing flesh from his buttocks. In a disturbing escalation, Love then allegedly poured hydrogen peroxide on the boy’s open wounds. As if the physical abuse wasn’t enough, Love is accused of forcing the injured child to perform exercises, including push-ups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks, until he collapsed.
Instead of immediately calling for emergency services when Chance became unresponsive, Love chose to drive the boy to the hospital himself. At approximately 1:30 a.m. on August 30, Love carried Chance’s unconscious body into the emergency room at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).
Doctors at CHOC were confronted with a horrifying scene. Chance presented with injuries consistent with violent shaking, including a subdural hematoma, extreme brain swelling, and a healing fracture on his shoulder blade. The severity of his condition was immediately apparent to medical staff.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Chance’s injuries proved too severe. After several days in a coma, he was declared brain dead and taken off life support on September 3, 2024.
Love’s connection to Chance’s family adds another layer of complexity to this tragic case. He had met Chance’s mother through a church called Amazing Church, where Love had previously held positions of trust. He had worked in the church’s child ministry and was known for helping people in the community.
However, Love’s history at the church was not without controversy. He had been suspended from his role due to inappropriate relationships with female parishioners. Despite this, and reports of apparent anger issues, church leaders never suspected he would be capable of such a violent act against a child.
Devastated family members, including Chance’s parents, have spoken out about the loss. Carmen Hill, Chance’s great-aunt, questioned, “What kind of monster are you?” while Aisha Herrell, Chance’s cousin, stated, “This is killing us slowly because no child deserves to get treated like this.”
Love has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 32 years to life in prison, plus an additional five years. The case has drawn significant attention from law enforcement and the community.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer addressed the case in a statement, saying, “While his new classmates were celebrating the end of the first week of first grade, Chance’s seat in his classroom was empty as he fought for his life in a hospital bed.”
The case has sparked discussions about child safety and the importance of thoroughly vetting caregivers. Charlyn Saffore, Chance’s mother, has urged other single mothers to be extra vigilant about who watches their children. The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses and seek what they call “justice” for Chance.
